Bears general manager Jerry Angelo doesn?t mind if Vanderbilt cornerback D.J. Moore (fourth-round, 119th overall), is referred to as "short," since he is a fraction under 5-foot-9.
Just don?t call the 192-pound Moore, "little."
"I see him more as short, not small," Angelo said. "But he plays tall. The guy?s got incredible leaping ability, and he made an interception against Georgia ... there aren?t three guys in the league that can make that interception going up for the ball. He?s got some special ball skills, some athleticism.
"You see a lot of tall corners who play small. He?s a short corner who can play tall. We?ve had success with those types of corners when we were down in Tampa. Ronde Barber was like that. We feel he?s going to come in and compete."
Moore spent just three years at Vanderbilt, starting nine games as a true freshman, and he picked off 12 passes over the past two seasons. Moore also lined up on offense for 10-20 snaps per game, and he returned punts and kickoffs.
"I haven?t seen a corner with this kind of ball skills since (Nate) Vasher," Angelo said.
Big-time speed: Jerry Angelo admits he was surprised Abilene Christian wide receiver Johnny Knox was still on the board when the Bears took him early in the fifth round with the 140th overall pick.
"I thought he would be gone in the fourth round given the speed, the workout, (and he) had a real good (Texas vs. the Nation) All-Star Game," Angelo said. "Obviously the speed factor played heavily when we saw him on the board there in the fifth."
Knox ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine where Bears coach Lovie Smith said Knox "looked like he was one of the guys from one of the bigger schools."
Character check: Fourth-round defensive end Henry Melton and sixth-round safety Al Afalava both had DUI?s during their college careers.
"We checked into it," Jerry Angelo said. "It was earlier in their careers. Afalava is married and has two children. (He made a) dumb mistake (February 2008). Melton, again earlier in his career (June 2007). We talked to both of them about it. Their coaches say it was very uncharacteristic of who are they are as people."
We?re fine with that."
More new faces: The Bears Monday announced the signing of nine undrafted rookie free agents: guards Johan Asiata (UNLV) and Dennis Conley (Hampton), safety Dahna Deleston (UConn), running back Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana-Lafayette), linebacker Mike Rivera (Kansas), wide receiver Eric Peterman (Northwestern), fullback Will Ta?ufo?ou (Cal) and defensive back Woodny Turenne (Louisville).
